1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to slide mechanisms, and particularly to a slide-type portable terminal device using a slide mechanism.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Currently, sliding-type portable terminal devices are becoming increasingly used. Most sliding-type portable terminal device are configured with a first housing, a second housing and a slide mechanism connecting the second housing with the first housing. A keypad is configured in the first housing, and a display is configured in the second housing. The second housing slides over the first housing via the slide mechanism, thereby opening/closing the portable terminal device.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a typical slide mechanism 100 includes a main plate 10 and a slide plate 20. The main plate 10 is fixed to the first housing and the slide plate 20 is fixed to the second housing of the sliding-type portable terminal device.
The main plate 10 is substantially rectangular shaped. The main plate 10 defines four first fixation holes 12 in four corners thereof correspondingly, for fixing the main plate 10 to the first housing 40. The main plate 10 has a substantially rectangular opening 14 in the middle. A length of each second side 144 is larger than that of each first side 142. The main plate 10 has two arched elastic strips 16 crossing the opening 14 and extending from one first side 142 to the other first side 142. The elastic strips 16 are symmetrically disposed and spaced by a distance in such a manner that a distance between them gradually increases from the middle to the ends. Thus, a guiding slot 162 is defined by the two elastic strips 16. The width of the guiding slot 162 gradually increases from the middle to the ends.
A length of the slide plate 20 is smaller than that of the main plate 10. The slide plate 20 is slidable relative to the main plate 10. The slide plate 20 is substantially rectangular shaped. The slide plate 20 has four second fixation holes 22 defined in four corners thereof, for fixing the slide plate 20 to the second housing. The slide plate 20 has a post 24 protruding from a center of the slide plate 20. The post 24 is received by and slidable in the guiding slot 162. A diameter of the post 24 is larger than a smallest width of the guiding slot 162, and is smaller than a largest width of the guiding slot 162.
In operating the slide mechanism 100, the slide plate 20 slides relative to the main plate 10 along a direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the post 24 of the slide plate 20 slides, relative to the main plate 10, in the guiding slot 162 of the main plate 10. Thus, the two elastic strips 16 of the main plate 10 deformed by the post 24, thereby accumulating elastic energy. When the post 24 reaches the middle of the guiding slot 162, the elastic strips 16 are at their most deformed position, thereby storing a maximum elastic energy. The slide plate 20 automatically slides under an elastic force of the elastic strips 16, immediately after the slide plate 20 passing the middle of the main plate 10. The second housings can slide over the first housing due to the slide plate 20 slides relative to the main plate 10.
However, when the slide plate 20 slides relative to the main plate 10, the arched elastic strips 16 are deformed by the post 24 of the slide plate 20 resulting in wear and tear. Thus, the elastic force of the elastic strips 16 may degrade. Therefore, a service life of the slide mechanism 100 is decreased.
Therefore, a slide mechanism and a slide-type portable terminal device using the same which can overcome the above-described problem are desired.